Say it ain't so Big Schill

Curt Schilling has officially announced retirement today. Is it a sad day? No. Was it his time? Yes. Is he the best "Big Game" pitcher that I've ever watched? YES! Other than Beckett, Roger, and Pedro there hasn't been a bigger pitcher to come through Boston in the past 20 years. Maybe he wasn't the most like able character due to his opinions on virtually every subject or a fan favorite, but tell me if there were ever a guy you'd rather have on the mound in a game seven.

Big Schill or "Balls", as me and my buddies called him, gave the Sox all he had every game and is probably losing year's off his career for the performance he pulled in the 2004 ALCS. I've heard the debate regarding his Hall of Fame credentials and whether he has the numbers to get in. My answer to that is he has the rings and "HUGE GAMES" and should get in on his Balls alone. Schilling was a throw back type of pitcher. He didn't have the fastest fastball or the best stuff other than his cutter, but he knew his opponents better than they knew themselves. He brought professionalism to the Sox and if you don't think Theo took notice of his bookkeeping skills just look at the program they're running in Pawtucket and Portland right now. Every guy keeps detailed notes of each game, inning, and pitch to the Nth degree. Schill brought that and he'll admit he wasn't always such a student of the game. He made himself into the true professional. He did what it took to prepare for each start and never made excuses for his bad starts. Just look at the time when he was coming back from his first injury where the Yanks and A-Rod pounded him in closing duties.

Or just look at the 87-year old curse he guaranteed he'd come here to break. That performance stands out as probably the biggest turning point in the Red-Sox Yankee rivalry along with the Tek/A-Rod brawl and Bill Mueller's Game winning shot. When Schill gutted out the "Bloody Sock" game he was making a statement that the Sox were not going to get kicked around anymore they were not going to fail this time. As a fan there was nothing more energizing or comforting. You were happy to have him on your side one of the greatest Yankee-killers of all time. Since then the Sox haven't blinked an eye at handling their rival it hasn't even been a contest. You have to be kidding me if you are not a Schilling fan. I've never understood why people hate the guy so much. I think alot of people forget this is the guy who carried us after Pedro couldn't dominate like he did during the '99-2000 seasons. I'm not saying he's better than Pedro, because he isn't, but he certainly is up there on the short list of Sox pitching legends. I'm not saying he's the Sox only big game pitcher ever either, because Pedro also had some memorable performances. But, you have to be kidding me if you don't think this guy is getting in the Hall or if he's not one of your favorite Sox of all time.

Here are Schill's own words on his retirement which I think sum his career up the best:

"The only thing I hope I did was never put in question my love for the game, or my passion to be counted on when it mattered most," Schilling wrote on his blog. "I did everything I could to win every time I was handed the ball."

In 19 postseason starts, (Schilling) compiled an 11-2 record with a 2.23 ERA, striking out 120 batters in 133.1 innings while allowing just 104 hits. His teams won 10 of the 12 playoff series he pitched in.